So as the decade ended with the coming of 2010, several music publications like “Rolling Stone” and “Billboard” had entire issues dedicated to reflecting on the past 10 years in music, listing what they considered to be the best, worst and just ok. Many of them listed Beyonce as one of the greatest artists of the decade, based on sales and/or influence. While I was excited to see Beyonce` get so much love, I got slightly irritated that SOME of the publications failed to give mention of her roots in Destiny’s Child. For some reason, people don’t want to acknowledge that Bee was ever in a group; they just don’t deem it necessary.
Here’s the reality check: Destiny’s Child’s 1st single, “No, No, No” was released and hit the charts in 1997, which means that as of 2009, Beyonce` has been a recording artist for 12 years; 6 years as a solo artist. Now, since people want to disregard Destiny’s Child, let’s do that. That would mean Beyonce ` would’ve been an artist for ONLY 6 years, which would put her on the same level as industry NEWBIES like Ciara (2004), Rihanna (2005), Natasha Beddingfield (2004), Ashanti (2002), Miley Cyrus (2006), and The Pussycat Dolls (2005). Those artists would be her contemporaries as opposed to Usher, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys. Not only would her contemporaries be different, but her discography would be much shorter: Beyonce` has only 3 records as a solo artist.
Realistically speaking, could you be considered the “artist of the decade” with only 3 albums and 6 years under your belt? Most of the recording artists cited by Billboard magazine as the most impactful had an average of 12 years in the industry and 6.8 albums (I actually calculated it). Based on those stats, the answer is no. Could you much less be considered the princess or queen of pop with those stats? Definitely not. It took Michael Jackson and Madonna 20-30 years to gain those titles. Furthermore, Beyonce` is considered by some to be a feministic icon, which has contributed to her notoriety. She gained her feministic reputation as a member of DESTINY’S CHILD with anthems like “Independent Women” and “Bootylicious.” The term “bootylicious” was even inducted into the Oxford American Dictionary. Literally. The “Destiny Fulfilled” album was called “therapy for women on disc” by some critics.
Her biggest selling album to date is NOT as a solo artist, but as a group member. As of 2001, “The Writing’s on the Wall” (Destiny’s Child’s second album, which included the ORIGINAL members), is 8 TIMES PLATINUM, which is nearly diamond. Her three solo albums equal that amount COMBINED (as of December 2008). Beyonce` didn’t make the list for Billboard’s “biggest selling artists of the decade”, but she made it as a member of Destiny’s Child. DC came in at #33 with 14,878,000. But since we’re deleting DC, I guess that all didn’t happen. You see, DC’s impact cannot be ignored, and Beyonce` just simply could not be considered one of the leading artists of the decade without her history in the group. Heck, the world might not have even known about Beyonce` Gisselle Knowles if it wasn’t for a little crossover mega-hit called “Say My Name” and a group-break up.
The moral to my story? REAL Beyonce` fans realize and know that you CANNOT FULLY appreciate the artist Beyonce` is, was and will be without acknowledging the Destiny’s Child material. How else could you measure her growth and potential as a vocalist or a writer? You would not be able to attest to her nearly seamless experimentation with soul, R&B, pop, hip-hop and adult contemporary without knowing all of her work. You can’t say you love a book, if you’ve only read part of it. You can’t say you love an album, if you’ve only heard two songs. You can’t say you LOVE Beyonce`, if you ignore or are unfamiliar with Destiny’s Child. The ground/framework for who Beyonce` is as an artist was laid out in those 4 Destiny’s Child records. You’re only getting half the story with her solo albums. If you recently became Beyonce` fan, go back and get those old records. Find out more about who you’re listening to. If you like her so much, I’d think you’d want to get more of her and listen to the old records anyway.
On a related note, since I’m talking about REAL fans and such, there are a lot of so-called “fans” out there that annoy the HECKKKKKK out of me, to the point where I felt compelled to make a whole list of things that REAL fans DO NOT do.
1. Real fans understand the concept of CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I’ve met “fans” who have either criticized her in shallow ways, or they think everything she says and does is perfection. Either extreme shouldn’t happen.
2. Real fans don’t diss Destiny’s Child (I’m so on Destiny’s Child, I have Letoya Luckett’s albums). Which, by the way, if you were to say anything crazy about Kelly (or Keke, as I call her) or Michelle (Mimi-as I call her) to Beyonce’s face, she’d probably tell you what for. You can dislike their projects or prefer Beyonce’s material over the DC stuff, but there’s a difference between preference and straight up being a hater.
3. Real fans don’t bootleg her albums. There isn’t a studio album recorded that I don’t own a real copy of.
4. Real fans aren’t “wishy-washy.” I’ve met people who hate her one minute, “love” her the next.
5. Real fans don’t endorse her crappier, less artistic music. Why would you ever want Bee to low-ball? “Like, OMG, like “Video Phone” is a masterpiece!” Really?! A song about a freakin’ phone?!?
6. Real fans don’t believe every gossip tidbit about her.
7. Real fans don’t want to murder people that say negative things about Beyonce` Lol. Just roll your eyes and keep going.
8. Real fans don’t pay attention to only aesthetics. RRR! I can’t stand people that only like her because of her fashion, stage antics or hair. You don’t deserve Beyonce`. She’s over here singing her tail off and you’re busy staring at her nails WTH?! lol.
9. Real fans realize that there are other great artists in the atmosphere. You have some “fans” that don’t think anyone else is deserving of praise, acknowledgement and success and they go out of their way to criticize them, ripping them to shreds in the name of Beyonce`. After Grammy 2010, Pink got a lot of attention for her astounding trapeze-act performance. A Beyonce` “fan” said in response: “I don’t know why Pink is getting so much shine. Anyone can get in a trapeze. No one was better than Queen B.” Really?!? 1st of all, you know good and well that the average person can’t get in a trapeze; 2nd-Bee won 6 Grammys that night and broke a record! What more do you want?!”
Ok, now I’m done lol.
Here’s the reality check: Destiny’s Child’s 1st single, “No, No, No” was released and hit the charts in 1997, which means that as of 2009, Beyonce` has been a recording artist for 12 years; 6 years as a solo artist. Now, since people want to disregard Destiny’s Child, let’s do that. That would mean Beyonce ` would’ve been an artist for ONLY 6 years, which would put her on the same level as industry NEWBIES like Ciara (2004), Rihanna (2005), Natasha Beddingfield (2004), Ashanti (2002), Miley Cyrus (2006), and The Pussycat Dolls (2005). Those artists would be her contemporaries as opposed to Usher, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys. Not only would her contemporaries be different, but her discography would be much shorter: Beyonce` has only 3 records as a solo artist.
Realistically speaking, could you be considered the “artist of the decade” with only 3 albums and 6 years under your belt? Most of the recording artists cited by Billboard magazine as the most impactful had an average of 12 years in the industry and 6.8 albums (I actually calculated it). Based on those stats, the answer is no. Could you much less be considered the princess or queen of pop with those stats? Definitely not. It took Michael Jackson and Madonna 20-30 years to gain those titles. Furthermore, Beyonce` is considered by some to be a feministic icon, which has contributed to her notoriety. She gained her feministic reputation as a member of DESTINY’S CHILD with anthems like “Independent Women” and “Bootylicious.” The term “bootylicious” was even inducted into the Oxford American Dictionary. Literally. The “Destiny Fulfilled” album was called “therapy for women on disc” by some critics.
Her biggest selling album to date is NOT as a solo artist, but as a group member. As of 2001, “The Writing’s on the Wall” (Destiny’s Child’s second album, which included the ORIGINAL members), is 8 TIMES PLATINUM, which is nearly diamond. Her three solo albums equal that amount COMBINED (as of December 2008). Beyonce` didn’t make the list for Billboard’s “biggest selling artists of the decade”, but she made it as a member of Destiny’s Child. DC came in at #33 with 14,878,000. But since we’re deleting DC, I guess that all didn’t happen. You see, DC’s impact cannot be ignored, and Beyonce` just simply could not be considered one of the leading artists of the decade without her history in the group. Heck, the world might not have even known about Beyonce` Gisselle Knowles if it wasn’t for a little crossover mega-hit called “Say My Name” and a group-break up.
The moral to my story? REAL Beyonce` fans realize and know that you CANNOT FULLY appreciate the artist Beyonce` is, was and will be without acknowledging the Destiny’s Child material. How else could you measure her growth and potential as a vocalist or a writer? You would not be able to attest to her nearly seamless experimentation with soul, R&B, pop, hip-hop and adult contemporary without knowing all of her work. You can’t say you love a book, if you’ve only read part of it. You can’t say you love an album, if you’ve only heard two songs. You can’t say you LOVE Beyonce`, if you ignore or are unfamiliar with Destiny’s Child. The ground/framework for who Beyonce` is as an artist was laid out in those 4 Destiny’s Child records. You’re only getting half the story with her solo albums. If you recently became Beyonce` fan, go back and get those old records. Find out more about who you’re listening to. If you like her so much, I’d think you’d want to get more of her and listen to the old records anyway.
On a related note, since I’m talking about REAL fans and such, there are a lot of so-called “fans” out there that annoy the HECKKKKKK out of me, to the point where I felt compelled to make a whole list of things that REAL fans DO NOT do.
1. Real fans understand the concept of CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I’ve met “fans” who have either criticized her in shallow ways, or they think everything she says and does is perfection. Either extreme shouldn’t happen.
2. Real fans don’t diss Destiny’s Child (I’m so on Destiny’s Child, I have Letoya Luckett’s albums). Which, by the way, if you were to say anything crazy about Kelly (or Keke, as I call her) or Michelle (Mimi-as I call her) to Beyonce’s face, she’d probably tell you what for. You can dislike their projects or prefer Beyonce’s material over the DC stuff, but there’s a difference between preference and straight up being a hater.
3. Real fans don’t bootleg her albums. There isn’t a studio album recorded that I don’t own a real copy of.
4. Real fans aren’t “wishy-washy.” I’ve met people who hate her one minute, “love” her the next.
5. Real fans don’t endorse her crappier, less artistic music. Why would you ever want Bee to low-ball? “Like, OMG, like “Video Phone” is a masterpiece!” Really?! A song about a freakin’ phone?!?
6. Real fans don’t believe every gossip tidbit about her.
7. Real fans don’t want to murder people that say negative things about Beyonce` Lol. Just roll your eyes and keep going.
8. Real fans don’t pay attention to only aesthetics. RRR! I can’t stand people that only like her because of her fashion, stage antics or hair. You don’t deserve Beyonce`. She’s over here singing her tail off and you’re busy staring at her nails WTH?! lol.
9. Real fans realize that there are other great artists in the atmosphere. You have some “fans” that don’t think anyone else is deserving of praise, acknowledgement and success and they go out of their way to criticize them, ripping them to shreds in the name of Beyonce`. After Grammy 2010, Pink got a lot of attention for her astounding trapeze-act performance. A Beyonce` “fan” said in response: “I don’t know why Pink is getting so much shine. Anyone can get in a trapeze. No one was better than Queen B.” Really?!? 1st of all, you know good and well that the average person can’t get in a trapeze; 2nd-Bee won 6 Grammys that night and broke a record! What more do you want?!”
Ok, now I’m done lol.
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